The present invention relates to a novel heterocyclic compound having an inhibition activity to lipoxygenase and useful as an anti-inflammatory agent or anti allergic agent.
In mammal animals, autacoid such as prostaglandins, thromboxanes, prostacyclin and leukotrienes playing an important role for the physiological state and manifestation of disease are formed from arachidonic acid, C.sub.20 unsaturated fatty acid, by way of several biological enzymatic reactions. For instance, prostaglandins or thromboxanes are formed by the action of cyclooxygenase and leukotrienes are formed by the action of lipoxygenase. Among them, it has been know that leukotriene B.sub.4, C.sub.4 and D.sub.4, for instance, is greatly concerned in inflammation or allergic reaction.
For instance, leukotriene B.sub.4 has a strong chemotactic effect to leucocyte (A. W. Ford-Hutchinson, J. Roy. Soc. Med., 74, 831-833 (1981)), and leukotriene C.sub.4 or leukotriene D.sub.4 is concerned in inflammatory reaction as a vascular permeability factor, as well as exhibits strong bronchoconstriction effect on human bronchi (Dahlen et al., Nature, 288, 484-486 (1980)).
In has, accordingly, been considered that inflammation, rheumatism, allergic disease (allergic bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis, allergic dermatitis and other allergic hypersensitivities) etc. can be prevented or cured by inhibiting lipoxygenase thereby suppressing the formation of leukotrienes. The use of compounds having an inhibition activity to lipoxygenase as anti-inflammatory agent or anti allergic agent has been described, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No.62-142167 and No.62-190159, etc.
On the other hand, it has also been reported that benoxaprofen having an inhibition activity to lipoxygenase is effective to psoriasis which is an intractable cutaneous disease, but it has a grave adverse effect (Archives of Dermatology, 119, 548 (1983); British Medical Journal (Br. Med. J.) 282, 1433 (1981)).
In view of the above, it has been demanded for the development of a novel compound inhibiting lipoxygenase more effectively.